Pep Guardiola admitted he got his team selection wrong in Manchester City's 3-0 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, but defended his decision to field the same side that lost in Spain. Federico Valverde's hat-trick put Los Blancos in command of the round of 16 tie, leaving City facing an uphill battle at the Etihad next week.

Guardiola acknowledged the need for rotation, pointing out that City cannot play the same XI every three days given their packed schedule across multiple competitions. The City boss argued that his selection was based on what he believed was best for the team, noting that they had won in Newcastle with a similar approach. He emphasized that the amount of Premier League titles won in recent years doesn't guarantee success in every single game.

The defeat came amid a difficult week for English clubs in European competition, with only Aston Villa managing a win across the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League. Guardiola suggested this indicates the Premier League is no longer as dominant as once thought, with teams from other European leagues now equally prepared to compete at the highest level.